Windows 8.1: Can't set custom desktop background

[Shaade]

Been having this problem for a while now, basically I can't seem to set a custom desktop background.

 

When I go into Appearance & Personalisation > Personalisation > Desktop background, any custom image I select just turns the background black. When I click on 'save changes', it just brings me back to the main Personalisation window and shows the desktop background being set as the default 'solid colour' rather than my custom file. I've tried saving the file as different types (.bmp .png etc.), tried different images from different folders including the default windows backgrounds and they all have the same effect.

 

It's probably something silly, but I have no clue. Can anyone help?

[Ronnie]

Sounds like you haven't validated your copy of windows. Some features will be disabled until you do so...

[flibberdipper]

Sounds like you haven't validated your copy of windows. Some features will be disabled until you do so...

 

Did you verify your copy of windows?

Agreed. This happened to me, and I felt like a moron.

[Shaade]

Sounds like you haven't validated your copy of windows. Some features will be disabled until you do so...

 

I've been using 8.1 without this problem for months, this just started happening all of a sudden (I should've mentioned that). I was able to change the background just a few weeks ago.

[Guest]

I've been using 8.1 without this problem for months, this just started happening all of a sudden (I should've mentioned that). I was able to change the background just a few weeks ago.

I could be wrong, but i think there's a grace period before shit starts happening because MS wants you to activate windows.

[iAsuno]

I could be wrong, but i think there's a grace period before shit starts happening because MS wants you to activate windows.

yes, though i only experienced this on win7. can't say for win8

[Shaade]

I could be wrong, but i think there's a grace period before shit starts happening because MS wants you to activate windows.

 

Should I not be seeing some sort of prompt asking me to validate if this were the case?

[ross06187]

Should I not be seeing some sort of prompt asking me to validate if this were the case?

 

right click on my computer, then click proprieties

 

that will open Control Panel\System and Security\System

 

at the bottom you will see windows activation.  does it say "windows is activated"

[Shaade]

right click on my computer, then click proprieties

 

that will open Control Panel\System and Security\System

 

at the bottom you will see windows activation.  does it say "windows is activated"

 

Yes, it does. That's that out the window then =P

 

I've found a temporary fix for the problem though - It seems it will let me set a slideshow of custom images as my desktop background, but not a single image. So I made a folder with 2 copies of the same image and that is working for now.

 

However, that's not exactly 'fixing' the problem, whatever it is, and even that required me to 'reset' it a couple of times before it showed up on my desktop.